


Opportunities

by TheMightyZan



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2014-12-27
Packaged: 2018-03-03 19:50:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2885207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyZan/pseuds/TheMightyZan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen remembers</p>
            </blockquote>





	Opportunities

_Cullen watched as the latest mage to pass their harrowing walked towards him.  She was smiling at something a fellow mage said, bright green eyes amused even as they drifted over to where he stood by the wall.  She slowed as they drew closer to him, then leaned in to whisper something to her companion that had him nodding and continuing on without her._  
  
 _Pausing in front of him, she tilted her chin up slightly, a corner of her mouth turning up.  “Hello, Cullen.”_  
  
 _"H-hello, Alys.  I’m glad to… to see your Harrowing went smoothly."  He cursed himself silently for the stutter, and forced his hands to not wring.  He had never been good around women, a constant source of amusement for the other Templars, but he especially wasn’t any good around her._  
  
 _Did she have to be so pretty?_  
  
 _"Were you worried about me?"  The tilted lips turned into a full grin with the question, and she lifted a hand to tug at a lock of her dark hair.  "I remember seeing you in the Harrowing chamber, it helped to know you were there."_  
  
 _Did it?  The idea made him flush and he let out a stilted laugh.  “I-I’m glad.  They… uh… they picked me to be the Templar who would have to strike the killing blow if you failed.”  His eyes widened a second at her expression, and he nearly shouted when he spoke again.  “It’s nothing personal, I swear.  I just… I have to do my duty.”_  
  
 _While she had looked momentarily surprised by his admission, it quickly changed to a laugh.  He loved that laugh, the slight, breathy sound of it, as if she hadn’t quite gotten enough air.  “I knew I wouldn’t fail.”_  
  
 _"No, of course not.  You’ve always been so strong…"  He trailed off lamely and glanced down the hall to where he could see the other mage waiting.  "I should let you get back to what you were doing."_  
  
 _"And I, you.  I didn’t mean to distract you."_  
  
 _"Oh!  You didn’t.  I mean you are distracting…I mean you're not."  He could feel warmth engulf his face, and he had to physically keep himself from covering it with his hands.  "I-I mean… you can talk to me anytime."_  
  
 _"Maybe next time we could have a little more privacy?"  She had folded her own hands in front of her, and her gaze had moved to his forehead, which seemed odd._  
  
 _"What do you mean?"_  
  
 _A blush tinted her cheeks, and it made him feel suddenly better to know she might be just as affected as he was._  
  
 _Not that he could ever do anything about it._  
  
 _"Nothing," she stated, a little too quickly.  "Forget it.  I’ll see you around."  With those last words she offered another dazzling smile and moved off to join her friend._  
  
He had thought about that last exchange many times over the years.  At times he hated himself for not taking her up on her offer.  It wasn’t even two days later that she was gone, off to join the Grey Wardens, and out of his life as effectively as if she had been erased.  
  
And now… and now, she was consort to the king of Fereldan.  
  
A missed opportunity that would never come again.  
  
A shake to his shoulder drew him from his thoughts and had him looking down into the dark brown, and very curious, eyes of the Inquisitor.  
  
"What?"  He knew he sounded confused, and he mentally berated himself for getting distracted.  
  
She laughed at him, a bright, bold sound that had him smiling self consciously in return.  “Sorry.”  
  
"I was asking, if you are done with your duties for today, if you would like to go get some dinner.  With me."  
  
He glanced out the window of his tower, taking in the dark stillness of the night outside of the fortress.  “It’s very late.”  
  
"Yes."  She was staring at him, her hands plucking idly at a book on his desk.  "It would probably just be us."  
  
Just be us.  He looked back at her, excuses coming to his mind, but then she smiled again, a bright flash of teeth in her olive colored skin, and he couldn’t help but return it.  
  
There weren’t rules saying they couldn’t eat together, and no one was going to have any authority to tell them it was wrong, and he did enjoy her company… probably more than he should.  
  
And that was another thought for another time.  
  
"Yes, I’d like that," he stated finally, and let her take his arm as he lead her to the kitchen.


End file.
